*flashback*

"Lindsey, hang on a sec I'm just gonna go get some water", I tell her through the phone I have pressed between my ear and shoulder as I'm finishing my math homework at the same time.

I justed to do the homework together with Alex, we both used to complain about how utterly stupid it was and that we didn't understand a thing, and then it would always end with us sitting in front of the tv or going out. But now she's not here and I really do miss her.

And I still haven't forgotten about the phone call. I can almost swear that I heard Alex screaming but that would mean Peter has something to do with it but I haven't had the chance to ask him.

I sigh in frustration as I throw the phone on my bed and walk down the stairs to my kitchen. I'm home alone, my mom and dad are over to my grandma with my little brother, but I've decided to stay home.

The sun is shining outside but it still doesn't seem to lighten up my mood. It feels like dark clouds surround me, and I know it's because of Alex and the lack of answers I have to the questions about her. Lindsey's worried too, or more like terrified, and she's honestly a wreck right now, spending all her time thinking about her best friend.

As I pour myself a glass of water and slowly sip the ice cold water, my eyes fill with tears. Everything has changed, and not for the better, and the worst part is that Alex isn't the only one who's missing, kidnapped. Other girls are with her, at least I think so, and I can't even imagine how scared the must be.

With my mood suddenly at its worst, I start walking back towards my room with the glass in my hand.

My foot rest at the first step of the staircase as I hear a light knock on the door and I furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

I didn't expect company.

Still with the glass in my hand, I slowly peek through the peephole in the door only to see a complete stranger standing outside.

He has dark hair and honestly, he looks intimidating.

I take a deep breath and open the door slightly, peeking out.

"Yes?" I ask the guy standing outside, not caring about my surly voice.

"Yeah, hey", he says awkwardly and his voice sounds strangely familiar, "I know this is going to sound real my car broke down and I wonder if I could borrow your phone to call a mechanic?"

I eye him suspiciously and tries to figure out where I could've heard his voice before.

"Why don't you use your own phone?" I ask.

"I didn't have the number", he answers bluntly and I raise my eyebrows at him.

"You could have searched it up."

"I don't have any internet on my phone."

Suddenly, the blood in my veins freezes and my eyes widen. His voice. I know where it comes from. He's the one who talked on the phone when someone called me from Peter's phone. He could have something to do with Alex's kidnapping.

"S-sorry", I stutter, "but I'm really busy right now. You should try another neighbor, I'm sure they're willing to help." As I speak, his eyes turn from light to dark in a matter of seconds and if I thought he looked intimidating before, he looks deadly scary right now.

I try to slam the door shut, but he put his foot in the gap to stop me, and then he grabs the door handle and rips it open. I scream, drop the glass of water to the floor where it shatters into a thousand of pieces, and then run towards the stairs.

My steps are heavy, and I can hear him, the guy, running after me as I aim for the bathroom, screaming at the top of my lungs.

My fingertips brush against the cold handle as my whole body flung forwards, hitting the hard wooden door with as much force that I groan in pain and would have fallen to the ground if it wasn't for the body that holds me up.

"Patricia, Patricia, Patricia...", the guy taunts, "what have your parents told you about letting strangers into your house?"

I'm terrified and my heart is beating at an extremely fast pace in my chest, but then I suddenly remember the phone call I'm currently having with Lindsey. She must have heard me scream, and the door leading into my room is barely two meters away from me, which means she can still hear me.

"W-who are you?" I stutter, desperate for an answer. If he is going to kill me or kidnap me or who knows what, I might as well try to get some answers out of him. He doesn't know about the phone call, and I'm going to use it to my advantage.

"I'm Nick", he says flatly, "but my name would be the least of your worries."

Ignoring the fear that holds me in a firm grip, I decide to take a chance and tell him what I know, or at least what I hope I know. If I'm wrong, if he doesn't have anything to do with Alex's disappearance, I don't know what to say. But if he doesn't, then why would he be here?

"I know what you've done", I say in a raised voice to make sure that Lindsey hears too, and I know for a fact that she never hangs up on the phone, no matter how long you might be gone.

"You're one of the sick maniacs who kidnapped Alex."

He gives out a dark chuckle which sends shivers down my spine.

"Aren't you a smart little girl?" he mocks. "Too bad you won't have any use of it, cause I can't have you running around freely for just the reason you named, honey. You know too much, and I can't risk getting caught, can I?"

"What have you done to her?" I scream, "And what does Peter have to do with it? I know he is involved, you called me from his phone. Is he like you?"

"Like me?", Nick ask even though he doesn't wait for a reply, "no, being like me is a compliment no one deserves to get, but I think you want to know if he is involved and if so, willingly? I gladly tell you the answer is yes. Your boyfriend helped me and the other guys kidnap the gorgeous Alex and the other girls, it's all thanks to him we succeeded."

My heart cracks at his words, and an indescribable pain fills it. No, he can't have... I want to ask more questions about Peter, but I remind myself that I need to give Lindsey as much information as possible so that she can tell it all to the police.

"What other guys? And what are you going to do with me?!"

"You ask too much, Patricia. I'm afraid that I have to shut you up."

I struggle against his grip, even though I know it's useless since that's all I've been doing for the last minute.

"What are you going to do with me? Kill me? Kidnap me like you did with the others?"

"I was thinking about just kidnap you and keep you hostage for a while, but you're so damn annoying I'm contemplating on putting you on the market instead."

"Market?" I shriek without being able to hold back the fear in my voice.

"Yes, the black market", Nick sighs, "you know where you can sell and buy illegal things? We're going to sell a girl at the market next week if her parents don't pay the ransom money, maybe I'll put you there too."

"No, no you can't! Let me go! Let all the girls go! You can't do it, you don't have the right too." I'm now crying, the tears cascading down my face. I'm not strong enough to keep my head up high anymore, the fear is taking over, and I keep screaming at the top of my lungs and fighting against Nick's grip until I feel a sting in my arm, and almost immediately my muscles stop working, becomes limp, and darkness overcomes me.